Very good book. Like the writers style.

*****Light SPOILERS*****

The set-up is perfect, but the execution a bit flawed. The hero is a standard-issue sardonic Heyer hero, the heroine interestingly placed in life, and interestingly up against it. Like some of Heyer's other earlier novels, the book succeeds least in its plotting. Everything depends on an intelligent character behaving foolishly, because of a fit of pique, and everyone around her indulging that behavior. It's just a little much, especially when Deborah becomes so intent on teaching Max a lesson that she has him kidnapped. It's worth it, though, for the reactions of minor characters ("What good comes from teaching people lessons!?" wails the requisite silly old dowager) and for some of Max's reactions, especially during the ludicrous kidnapping sequence, which is redeemed in part by Heyer's apparent awareness that it is ludicrous. Even less-than-stellar Heyer is better than the vast majority of other genre writers.

Two days ago, I finished Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer, another one-off from browsing the library shelves. It was a quick read and moderately entertaining. It is a straightforward predictable plot involving a masterful and sporting hero who has never faced resistance and a beautiful, upright, and smart heroine. Of course he misunderstands her and assumes the worst, of course she is deeply insulted and decides to play on his prejudices and have her revenge, of course they loathe and despise each other right up to the end.

Our heroine Deborah, is forced by circumstances to work as a dealer in her aunt's gambling parlor, so tastefully run in a private home, but barely respectable. And of course she cannot afford to alienate the men who patronize the establishment, including the college boy who wants to marry her and the requisite middle-aged painted roue who wants her to become his mistress. When our hero Ravenscar, the boy's tall, dark, handsome, and very rich uncle, comes to disentangle him from his infatuation, he of course assumes that she must be sleeping around and intentionally seducing the boy--what other sort of woman would be in a place like this and encouraging the attention of more than one gentleman? The old roue is not a villain so much as a plot device to demonstrate our hero's masterful cardplaying, apply leverage to the heroine, and finally provide some insight into her fine, upstanding moral qualities. ( )

Another great Heyer! I swoon with satisfaction when I get these in the mail, seriously. In this novel, Deborah Grantham is "faro's daughter": driven by poverty, her aunt has turned her London home into a high-class gaming house, and Deb presides over one of the tables. Although she's a gentlewoman by birth, her profession clearly makes her an unfit marriage for any true gentleman. When Max Ravenscar's nephew Adrian declares his intention of marrying Deb, therefore, Max decides he must prevent the alliance at all costs. He seeks Deb out, trying to evaluate her character, and quickly decides she's vulgar and immoral. Deb, stung by this snap judgment, retaliates by acting every bit as bad as he believes her to be. (Not quite sure what her rationale behind that was...but it creates some great moments in the book.) Needless to say, their verbal sparring matches soon create tension as they find themselves attracted to each other. If you love Heyer, you'll love this book!

Max Ravenscar is a gamester and claims that he is uninterested in romance. Deborah Grantham is planning to marry his young cousin Adrian and when they meet sparks fly.

Fun read from Heyer. ( )